Visiting Vancouver: What To Do There?

last SG · 2006-03-29T02:54:20+00:00

yah..been there by BC ferries really great place too, must place to visit is the The Butchart Gardens

Meia Gisborn SG

A friend and I are planning a one-week vacation in Seattle, WA, sometime in mid-April this year. As we've been told repeatedly, a vacation in Seattle isn't complete without a visit to Vancouver, BC, which apparently is a mere three-hour drive north.

We are incorporating a two-day, one-night stay in Vancouver into this trip, and have already made the necessary hotel reservation.

As this will be my first visit to Vancouver, I am wondering if anyone (particularly the Singapore contingent currently in Canada--you know who you are! Very Happy ) can suggest places of interest there (apart from Chinatown) that might be worth visiting during our two-day stay.

Thanks in advance!

MG

ditzy SG

Well, there is this observation tower atop a building that gives you a 360 view of vancouver. Laughing

Meia Gisborn SG

Do you mean this?

That's Harbour Centre in downtown Vancouver. And yes, it's on our itinerary.

Thanks for the suggestion, though! Very Happy

littlestream SG

Oh, goody goody goody...............a holiday!!!! Wink

MG, check this out.

http://www.hellobc.com/en-CA/default.htm

2D/1N is not enough!!!! It is true no visit to Seattle is complete without a drive up north to BC. However, it's also been said that no trip to the West is complete with a drive to Banff/Lake Louise in Alberta!!!

Where will you be staying? Vancouver or Richmond?

Stanley Park is a MUST!!! If you like aquarium, which I do, then go visit the aquarium in Stanley.

There also that Capiliano Bridge. Eh, since it is a suspension bridge, not sure if they are open in April. We have a mini one here in Blue Mountain, Ontario but they are only open in summer. So, you may need to check.

I don't know if you can still ski but a trip to Whistler will be nice.

And there is that island off the mainland call Victoria. They boast of their garden. Erm, forgot the name or actually get confused with the name 'cos we have a garden here too. I think over in BC may be Butchart.

Robson Street is the tourist belt. But doubt you are doing shopping. Anyways, you must go to Richmond. HUGH Chinese community there. There is a new mall, don't know it in English but it is hugh and built by Li Ka Shing.

Visit T&T Supermarket. Feels like Takashimaya in Sg. Eat S'pore/M'sian eat to your heart's content. There is a Prima Taste restaurant!!!!!

Okay, you check out the hello BC site and then if you got question, you can ask me. I try to answer. BTW, I live there in 1994 so many things have changed but some things still stays the same, right?

Have fun, MG. Aiyah, then you should make a trip to Toronto also!!! Wink

Meia Gisborn SG

LS,

Thanks for the link and additional information!

You're right: two days/one night is not enough, but that's all the time we have and as such are planning to limit ourselves to Vancouver and its immediate vicinity.

Darn, I didn't know that the Asian community was concentrated in the Richmond area. If I had known that, I would have made a reservation at a hotel in that area. How far is Richmond from Vancouver proper? The hotel at which we're staying is located along Kingsway and is, according to their website, less than a 15 minute drive to downtown Vancouver. Needless to say, we'll be visiting Richmond and hoping to have some real Chinese food there. Perhaps even some Hainanese chicken rice! Mr. Green

How's the public transportation in Vancouver? What about parking in the downtown area?

MG

littlestream SG

MG, got you map of Vancouver. You can enlarge to find Kingsway which is on the East end of Vancouver.

http://www.google.com/local?hl=en&lr=&rls=RNWE,RNWE:2005-02,RNWE:en&q=kingsway&near=Vancouver,+BC,+Canada&sa=X&oi=local&ct=title

Hmm....I was living in Richmond and worked downtown Vancouver. On the bus, it took me about half an hour.

Actually if you drive up from Seattle, you will pass Richmond anyways. Their MAIN road is No. 3 Road. You can stop by Steveston. There's a Fishermen's Wharf. Go eat Fish n Chips. You can see boats docked up there with their catch.

Parking? Hmm........I didn't drive there so not sure. But if you are downtown, and weather is good, you can park somewhere and then walk around town. BUT BE SURE TO BRING A BROLLY!!!!

Remember the joke? It rain twice in Vancouver. Once for 4 days and the other for 3 days!!! Oops, I'm gonna get it from the Vancouverites, if any is lurking around. Mr. Green

Hmm...I forgot what else you ask. Let me go check and I will respond. Wink

littlestream SG

Oh, public transportation? Better to drive I think 'cos if you take public transport, the schedules or the interval may be long. No subway. Only LRT, sea bus and land buses.

Sea bus to take you across to North Vancouver. If you drive, you take the Lions Gate Bridge to West Vancouver. Mind you, THAT is the only "driving" way!!! So, if traffic jam or accident, jia lat.

Anyways, here's the transport link

http://www.translink.bc.ca/default.asp

And here's another tourism vancouver site.

http://vancouver.ca/visitors.htm

Meia Gisborn SG

Waaah... LS, you are an invaluable source of travel information about Vancouver! I'm looking real closely at the websites you've suggested.

Thanks much!!! Very Happy

Fatum SG

No visit to Vancouver is complete without a trip to Wreck beach ... Mr. Green

it's a .... ermmm ... liberating experience ..... Razz (but you may want to hit the gym a bit first ... )

since you're driving there, you may want to visit one of the nearby national or provincial parks .... the pacific northwest rainforests are awesome ...

and you may want to drive down to white rock too ... a nice romantic seaside town if your friend is female .. Mr. Green

Meia Gisborn SG

Darn, it sounds like there's more to do in Vancouver than two days will allow. As currently planned, it's probably not going to be more than an "in/eat/out" sort of trip, with some incidental sightseeing thrown in. Sad

Which reminds me that I forgot to ask: do you have any recommendations for Dim Sum restaurants in Vancouver that serve good food and won't cost me my first-born? What about Japanese eateries?

Thanks again!

littlestream SG

Laughing

Hee hee.........MG.........after Toronto, yah, Vancouver is a eating haven too!!! But of course the Vancourites beg to differ lah. They sure say Vancouver is a notch up on Toronto. Wink

But then hor, I don't know which leh.

You know what? Do you want to try a badminton site. This site, right? A major bunch are S'poreans/M'sians living in Vancouver. You may try to post a thread in their Chit Chat forum.

Here's the link.

http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/index.php?

Good luck!!!

p.s. but Prima Taste concept restaurant, you must go!!! Eat local food, like laksa and your fav. CHICKEN RICE!!! Mr. Green

Fatum SG

there are legions and legions of resturants there MG, I can't really say which one's good ... BUT ... there's this western resturant that you really shouldn't miss .....

Tribeca, at Seymour street, awesome place, it comes highly recommended by everyone who's been there, one of my friends knows the owner, Regis, personally, and took me there and the food there is awesome ... Razz

go google about the place, it's highly rated .. Razz

jetta SG

Wah streamie, you see bey eh sai you know. One-woman tourist board. You should set up a small stand. Laughing

I know the suspension bridge you talked about. We visited some 15 years ago, just driving around. An awesome sight.

Seattle is a nice place. I'll post my 2 cents first and when hubby gets home this evening, I'll ask him to post the other 8 cents. Mr. Green

Of course, you must visit the Space Needle. The view from up there is spectacular.

Then you must go downtown and jalan jalan. Pike's Place Market is a unique place. You see fishmongers throwing fish from one person to another. There are also lots of other vendors there. People like to sit along the grassy areas on nice days. Right across the street are lots of little hidden shops. I found this corner shop selling Malaysian food. Yum!

You remember Twin Peaks? It was filmed in a little town in Snoqualmie. The waterfalls there are fabulous. You can even hike the trail down to the base of the falls. I have photos if you want to see?

Can't remember what else to tell you so I'll just post as I remember.

littlestream SG

Hee hee............aiyoh, pai seh lah, jetta. But kum siah hor. Embarassed

jetta SG

Space Needle. Sorry blurry, was in a moving car.

Take a ride in one of the many ferries across Puget Sound.

One of the many ferries on Puget Sound. We usually take the Seattle to Bremerton route. Faster than driving around the sound.

Are you a baseball fan?

I have many more photos but they were taken during my pre-digital days. Sorry!

Meia Gisborn SG

Okay, based on reponses received thus far, plus a bit of research, I've come up with a list of worthwhile things to do in Seattle:

1. Visit the Space Needle.
2. Visit Pike's Place Market.
3. Go on the Boeing plant tour in Everett.
4. Visit the Bremerton Navy Museum in (duh!) Bremerton.
5. Visit the Kinokuniya bookstore in downtown Seattle. Very Happy
6. A day trip to the Olympia National Park.

More suggestions?

jetta SG

I used to live in Bremerton, by the base. Next time you visit Seattle, do it during Fleet Week in August. They have parades and lots of festivities. Then you can go on a Ship Open House. Hubby will be able to be your tour guide. Around the same time, the Pullayup Fair is a big deal and a must visit.

And you mustn't, mustn't, mustn't miss a trip to Mt St Helens. Awesome, awesome sight. Plus you'll be passing a factory outlet along the way down. Mr. Green

Before you leave, you must buy some Pullayap scone mix back with you. You can find these and other Washington favourites at a Made In Washington store. Here's the link: www.madeinwashington.com

Fatum SG

Is that a good "Pat tor" city ? ..... Razz Embarassed

jetta SG

Define pat tor. Mr. Green

jetta SG

We visited White Rock in Surrey because a friend of a friend had opened a Sg makan shop there. She took us to Chinatown and my jaw dropped. So huge!!! I lugged back three one gallon jugs of fresh soy milk and lots of fresh yew char kwey. She also took us for a very nice dim sum lunch. Don't ask me where though. Can't tell you to save my life.

PS. Haven't done my taxes yet. Embarassed